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Fall 1999, Vol. 2 Issue 7
Contents
In The World of Christian Music - News NotesIn the World of Christian Music
News NotesMore News from the Boys
The Newsboys already have promotions rolling for the launching of their new album, Love Liberty Disco! This new recording, set to be released on Novemeber 16th, is expected to be a big hit since it follows such accolades as four Dove Awards, two International Angel Awards, a Nashville Music Award, three Grammy nominations, two gold albums (Going Public & Take Me To Your Leader), and one more album to be certified gold this year (Step Up To The Microphone). And that's just to mention a few honors...!
The weekend before the street release week, the Newsboys are going to appear on a nationwide radio broadcast from New York City. A contest will be held to fly five winners to New York City, where they'll be taken to the studio for the live broadcast Saturday night, followed by a day of sightseeing with the Boys.
During the street release week, the Newsboys plan to record their upcoming video "Love Libery Disco" in Huston, Dallas, Portland, Grand Rapids, and Minneapolis. Consumers are invited as "extras" and afterwards there will be instore album signings. The "Love Liberty Disco" video is set to be aired sometime in December.
By the spring of 2000,the Newsboys will be starting their gigantic 70-show tour. Some of the cities included are Hershey, Washington DC, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Jacksonville, Nashville, Austin, and Sacramento. We haven't even begun to scratch the surface with that list; like I said -- 70 shows...! You can check their website www.newsboys.com, which should be fully updated by November.
For those of you who can't wait for November 16th, Love Libery Disco will be featured at HearItFirst.com, and also Sparrow Records will include advanced audio clips from November 12th-15th at their website, SparrowRecords.com.
You Have Friends at the Front!
You didn't know you had friends at the Front?? Wow. Well check this out...Forefront Records likes to save you money! They have ready-to-print coupons waiting just for you at their website for artists like Geoff Moore, Grammatrain, and Audio Adrenaline. If that isn't a good deal, I don't know what is! You can get the coupons at our web site's main page.
As if Forefront Records couldn't get more generous, check this out! They are giving away THREE iMAC computers, courtesy of Audio Adrenaline. You can register to win at ForefrontRecords.com. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m., CST on October 31, 1999. Be sure to check out the Official Rules & prize list at the ForeFront site.
Get Some Inside on the Insyderz
Like the Insyderz?? Then you will definitely be glad to hear that their new record Skalleluia Too! is going to be released October 26th. To celebrate the release the guys are going to be having a party at Comet Burger in Royal Oak, MI on the release date! For more info about that go to Son Light Music's web page. If you don't think you can wait 'till the new tunes arrive in stores, their website will have MP3's and Real Audio clips from the new album for you to check out. They will be releasing songs each day the week before the album hits the stores.
The guys have once again taken great praise and worship songs and turned them into awesome skakin' tunes. Drummer, Nate Sjogren says, "We tried to pick a wide range of songs that meant something to us but also songs that we've heard in a lot of youth groups as we've traveled the country these past three years." Some of these songs are "Old Rugged Cross", "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever", "Shout to the Lord" and "Step by Step."
The bands commitment of bringing worship to a younger crowed has continued with soon to be released album, Skalleluia Too! Praising the Lord and skanin' at the same time..what could be better?!
Stewart/Tait Tour
After some planning, Pete Stewart, former lead singer of Grammatrain, and Mike Tait, one of the DC Talk threesome, finally have plans for a tour. They've worked around the DC Talk schedule and are looking forward to hitting the road in early 2000 (probably January and February). The tour will be international, including a New Zealand-Australia leg, with most of the U.S. being covered.
Other than the Michael Tait-Pete Stewart Tour, Pete is looking forward to his third visit to Germany where he'll take place in the "Christmas Rock Night" festival. This will be his first time solo, as the past two visits were with Grammatrain. Incidentally, the current Grammatrain Live album was recorded there last year.
Pete says you can watch for more details concerning the tour at his website: www.petestewart.com
Listen: Louder
Sparrow Records started the Listen To Our Hearts volumes to bridge the gap between the recording artists and the listerners. Listen (volume I and II) combined songs from artists like Steven Curtis Chapman, Carmen, Avalon and other contemporary to offer a glimpse into their hearts and lives.
Now, Listen: Louder, is using this same concept for the younger generations. Also on Sparrow Records, Listen: Louder is made up of today's Christian artists who have the ear of today's youth. This twelve track album includes Rebecca St. James, Delirious, Raze, Newsboys, Kevin Max with Sonic Flood, as well as others.
All songs are written by the artists themselves, with the exception of Audio Adrenaline's "It Is Well With My Soul", Luna Halo's version of "Humble Thyself In the Sight of the Lord", and Kevin Max and Sonic Flood's remake of the Gaither classic, "Something About That Name." Someone looking for a variety album of worship songs with today's beat and rhythm will enjoy Listen: Louder!
The Inside Scoop
On The Road With Care & Sar
In this issue we're are on the road to Dayton, Ohio to meet up with Mac Powell and Mark Lee of Third Day. They we kind enough to take a few minutes out of the busy promotional leg of the tour to sit and gab with us a little about their new album, Time.
We (Sarah and Carrie) were both interested in why the band entitled the new album Time, since there wasn't even a song called "Time". Mac said he found it funny we asked that. "There's a lot of people that think that the first song, 'I've Always Loved You', is called 'Time'', he said. "We'll ask them, 'What's your favorite song?', and they say, 'You know that song, "Time."' And they think because that's the name of the record it's the name of the first song." Mark chimed in, "Yah I think the word 'time' is mentioned on every song on the record. We made this little chart one day--we were just going back and forth about what we'd call the record. 'Time' was on there like a couple dozen times, so we just decided to go with Time." Mac added, "We thought that God might be trying to say something through us even though we weren't purposly doing that."
After talking about time for quite some time, we asked them about how they liked recording Time "live". Mac explained that it wasn't really 'live', like you might have thought. "In a way, that's kind of--not a lie--but an exageration...I don't know how it got out that way. We recorded live but we went and fixed things too, at the same time. It wasn't like what you hear is what we did the first time."
Mac set-up the picture of them recording. In a small room, they set up all of their amps in a circle, so that they were all facing each other. That's the difference between the so-called "live" recording, and the regular way; they all recorded together instead of seperately. Mac went on, "...it was really cool, I think we got that energy that we wanted. It was like a realness and a oneness." We asked if they would record this way instead of "stacking" the recordings next time, and Mac spoke up for the whole band. "Yeah, definitely, I think that's the way we're going to do it form now on."
The way they recorded isn't the only thing they changed. If you hadn't noticed, they have also switched record lables. They were with Reunion Records, but switched to the more youth-specialized Essential Records. Ironically enough, Time contained the band's first song to break into the Adult Contemporary Top 10 Charts. So, we asked what was up with that..."Well it really wasn't our decision [to switch lables]," Mark explained. "They [Reunion Records] had the contract and they're owned by this bigger company, and the bigger company also owns Essential, and they're like, 'Well, we think you guys would be better suited to be on Essential.' Reunion is more AC focused. Like you're saying, it's funny that we switched over to Essential and this is the first time we've ever done an AC release, even though we had some songs that are kind of in that theme in the last couple records. But Essential has been really good for us..."
We think Essential Records is being good to them too! Nina Williams, Essential Record's Director of Marketing, said that, "Time is poised to become an absolute 'career' record for Third Day." Mac laughed when we brough up this point, but he says, "When we were recording it, I think we felt that--I think we feel that now, but it's yet to be seen as whether people come out and buy it or not. It's doing real well so far, but you never know. We hope it's a career record."
Switching subjects around a bit, we asked Mark and Mac how they felt about secular music, from the standpoint of being a Christian band. Mac summed it up by saying that he felt it was definitely a personal conviction thing. "I think that God makes it very clear that He tells some people that you can't do this--you shouldn't do this--and other people it's ok....He says some people their heart tells them "do not do this--absolutely not" and if you do it then you're sinning. And...other people don't have that conviction. And I think that a lot of people, secular music has such a hold on them, that perhaps they need kinda to get away from it for a while-- if not forever, because it has such a hold on them. For other people, it doesn't effect them so much. I know that music is a powerful thing--I'm not saying it doesn't effect us because it does. Infact we have a song about that called "You Make Me Mad" on our last record. But I think it's definitely a personal conviction."
Mark agreed with Mac, and went on to say, "I totally--like, if somebody else says that, 'I'm not going to listen to any secular music,' then I'm totally going to respect that. I'm going to support them. Or you know, other people are like that with movies and TV and a lot of different things like that, then I really want to support them with that--so anything I can do to not bring them down, you know, I'll be sure to do that."
Incase you're wondering, the guys did say that they listen to some secular music. Some of their all-time favorite bands are The Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers, U2, REM, and the Black Crows.
We concluded the interview as we heard Switchfoot warming up out on the stage. The concert was great! All bases were covered--from Third Day's worship time, to good old rock 'n roll, to karoke (Mac actually pulled two guys up on stage to sing a few of his lines), and of course the audience participation in one of their first songs, "Forever". Freak City would travel again and again to see this concert performed! It's a show not to miss! One well-known reader told us earlier that they wouldn't miss Third Day perform--even if it were in a dumpster! So, my friends, we're going to leave it at that! Don't miss the show--it's a good one!
From Rap 2 Rock 2 Soul
"> Album Review Underdog, Audio Adrenaline"Audio Adrenaline comes up on top with the release of Underdog!"
Dear citizens of Freak City, get ready for a riot to erupt. 1999 Grammy and Dove award nominees Audio Adrenaline released their fifth studio album, Underdog, on September 14. Band members Mark Stuart, Will McGinniss, Bob Herdman, Ben Cissell, and Tyler Burknum have produced the album themselves for the first time!
"Get Down," the first radio single, has already gained enormous popularity at concert performances. "Get Down" even replaced the old time concert closing song "Big House" and moved it to the opening number. Other songs on the album include "Good Life" which was produced by Charlie Peacock, the jammin' opening track "Mighty Good Leader," the international flavor of "Jesus Movement," and a remake of the classic hymn "It is Well," in which Jennifer Knapp appears. Underdog also has its share of laughs with the parody re-write of "DC-10," one of Audio Adrenaline's first singles, and the coffeehouse song "House Plant."
Audio Adrenaline will headline a 60-city tour around Spring 2000. Until Y2K passes, the band will continue to perform at youth gatherings, music festivals, and major crusades. Don't underestimate the Underdog!
Battle of the Bands
Interactive Poll
You know how it works! We give you two bands and you vote to make one the winner. This issue's two bands are:
Submit your vote: FreakCity@AOL.com
Power Jams
We have for you this issue, a brand new release to give away! I have it right now, and it looks like it's JAM packed with good stuff. What is Power Jams?? It is sports music album in a Christian perspective. It has taken some of the best Christian music and remixed it into a non-stop, high-energy, aerobic-workout type album.
Sound pretty good? It can be yours if you can answer this trivia question first. Since Power Jams is a Forefront release, we thought it appropriate to ask a question pertaining to a Forefront band. Here goes...!
Be the first to answer that question correctly, and the album is yours! Send your answers to: FreakCity@AOL.com
In Closing...
Thanks for tuning in to this issue of Freak City. We hope you enjoyed it. We'd like to thank our friend and Forefront BUZZ member, Ben Walker, for bringing you the scoop on the new Audio Adrenaline album. As always, your comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome. Be sure to check out the website for coupons, pictures, and other good stuff. Have a great Thanksgiving, and we'll see you next time...!
Consumed,
Carrie & Sarah